New Delhi: The number of novel coronavirus patients in India has risen to 60, with 10 more positive cases – eight from Kerala and one each from Delhi and Rajasthan – being reported since Tuesday’s update, the Union Health Ministry said Wednesday.
Giving state-wise breakup, the ministry said five positive cases have been reported in Delhi while nine persons were diagnosed with the infection in Uttar Pradesh till Wednesday evening. Karnataka and Maharashtra have reported four and two confirmed cases of COVID-19 respectively. Ladakh has recorded two positive cases. Rajasthan, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab have reported one case each.
Kerala has till now reported 17 cases, including the three patients who were discharged last month following recovery, the ministry added.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, who spoke to a few COVID-19 patients admitted at Medanta and Safdarjung hospitals through video calls Tuesday, said all those infected by the disease were stable and showing signs of recovery.
India will be sending a team of doctors to Italy on Thursday to collect and bring swab samples of Indian students stranded there so that they can be tested before being brought back to the country, health ministry officials informed Wednesday.
The ministry further said that the government of India is undertaking measures to ensure safety and security of its citizens in Iran after it became clear that the country was facing a COVID-19 outbreak. Indian nationals in Iran include pilgrims, students and fishermen, the ministry said.
So far, India has evacuated 948 passengers from COVID-19 affected countries. Out of these, 900 are Indian citizens and 48 belonging to different nationalities including Maldives, Myanmar, Bangladesh, China, USA, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa and Peru, the ministry informed.
Amid rising cases of the COVID-19 pandemic globally, India barred Tuesday entry of the nationals of three more countries – France, Germany and Spain – suspending the regular as well as e-visas granted to them till date.
PTI